


Present

by AshCloud5



Category: Marvel
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Pining, pre relarionship, winterprincess fic exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-24 20:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22004023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshCloud5/pseuds/AshCloud5
Summary: Bucky tries to find Shuri a present
Relationships: Bucky/Shuri
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	Present

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shardsofglass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shardsofglass/gifts).



“Yesterday is history  
Tomorrow is a mystery   
But today is a gift  
That is why it is called the present”  
-Master Ugway, Kung Fu Panda

Three days before Christmas  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Nothing. He had nothing. Absolutely nothing. How was it that in a city where you could find pretty much anything you could think of, a gift for Shuri was no where to be found. It was insane. Bucky had searched New York high and low and yet nothing seemed to be right for the genius Princess. The jewellery was too much, there wasn’t any piece of technology on the planet that she couldn’t build herself, no book that she didn’t already have, and tools? She had two whole state of the art laboratories at her disposal for crying out loud. 

Bucky was completely lost. It’s not that the Princess had demanded a gift from him. No, Bucky wasn’t even sure if they even celebrated the holiday in Wakanda, but the Wakandan Royals were set to spend the holiday with the Avengers at their newly rebuilt facility. Bucky wanted to get the Princess something… to thank her for all that she’d done for him. And she’d done so much.

Shuri rid his mind of any brainwashing and trigger words making him a free man, she helped him through his healing process. She’d been there for the worst nights and days. She’d aided her brother in defending him in front of the UN, she’d built him a new arm and in doing so returned something he’d thought he’d never have again. The new arm she’d made was created so that he may be able to feel.

Bucky smiled, as he recalled the Princess’s face when she’d awoken him from the procedure. Shuri had placed her hand in his metal one and when he’d realized what she’d done, she smiled and said “You’re welcome”. 

He felt his chest warm at the memory of her smile. Bucky had fallen for the young Princess about a year before the snap. He’d never said a word to anyone else about of course. Even when Shuri had teased him relentlessly about the fact that some of the Dora were interested in him. He never believed her at first until one night when one of the Dora showed up at his hut and offered to spend the night with him. He turned her down. 

Shuri questioned him about it when he’d told her. He didn’t answer, how could he tell her that he declined the Dora because it was her that he wanted. 

“You up one-armed Jesus?” called a voice

Bucky rolled his eyes at his friend’s interruption. “I got a haircut… will you quit calling me that already?”

Sam leant against the doorframe of Bucky’s room. 

“No. I don’t think I will” he winked

Bucky rolled his eyes again. 

“You know your eyes are gonna fall out their sockets if you keep doing that” 

“So you keep saying” a soft laugh “Is everything all packed up?” Bucky asked

“Yeah, got everyone’s gifts all except yours for Shuri” a smirk “So what’d you get her”

“Oh… this and that” Bucky shrugged

“So nothing?”

“Nothing… any ideas?”

“Man! You do know Christmas is like... a few days away right?” Sam questioned

“Really? I had no idea” Bucky responded drily “What did you get her then?”

“Nothing you’re the one that’s expected to give her a gift not me” came Sam’s smug reply

A huff “Look man, out of the two of us you are the one that knows her well. Just find something that she’ll appreciate, something… meaningful” Sam explained before turning to leave the room.

Bucky held his face in hands. Something meaningful? Something she’d appreciate? How was he supposed to…

His thoughts froze as he laid his eyes on his camera.  
His eyes widened as the idea hit him. Something meaningful.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Christmas day  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Shuri arrived with her mother and brother at the new and improved Avenger’s facility. The tech and barriers of the estate now reinforced with Vibranium and Adamantium, thanks to a generous donation from the Wakanda and of course Shuri’s own handywork.

The new facility now had a shield akin to that of Wakanda’s own, also thanks to Shuri’s contributions. Along with the basic living, training, meeting facilities the estate also had new laboratories and a special grotto for the fallen Avengers, the one place Shuri hoped would never have to be updated.

It had been almost a year since she’d seen everyone. She’d been very busy between the Wakandan outreach programme in Oakland, rebuilding the Avengers facility and helping her brother in fighting for the independence of the Avengers as well as defending James.

Thankfully after the blip everyone was on their side and they’d managed to beat back General Ross and his silly Sokovia Accords. Not that the accords could hold up for much longer after the world had just been saved by the very heroes the council had set out to limit. 

Besides the world had bigger problems than the Avengers anyway. After five years of functioning with only half the world’s population, the world was now in serious trouble in terms of food production and land resources. But all that aside Shuri was happy to be back amongst friends, especially when the last time they’d seen each other was not a happy occasion. 

Shuri greeted the group with a smile. Everyone had made for the party, the Guardians, Carol, Thor, Valkyrie, Clint and his family, Peter, his aunt and girlfriend MJ, Sam, Rhodey, Wanda, Doctor Strange and Wong, Bruce, Scott, his family, Eva and hers, and of course Pepper and Morgan. The room was lively, Peter Quill played DJ, happily playing songs from his iPod. A gift from Shuri, the poor guy nearly collapsed when she’d told him how many songs it could hold. She was still bewildered as to how he could react like that… the man flew around ina spaceship for Bast’s sake!

She was watching the group when she’d felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see James, without a word she hugged the man.

“Missed me?” he teased 

“Just shut up and hug me old man!” she retorted.   
Bucky laughed but did as he was told.

Shuri smiled then withdrew from the hug to hit the older man in the arm. “Hey! You know I can feel it when you do that now!” Bucky cried

“One year! No calls! No texts! And don’t even say it’s the distance, Thor checks in once a week and always off with the Guardians in space!” Shuri ranted

“I’m sorry, I…. I don’t have any excuse…”

“Damn right you don’t!”

“But I have something that might help you forgive me”

“It had better be backstage passes to see Beyoncé at Coachella” Shuri pouted

“Unfortunately not! Being a fugitive slash Avenger isn’t exactly the most lucrative profession”

A soft laugh “I’ve missed you James” Shuri admitted. 

“Me too, kid” 

Kid… That word stung. Of course, she was still a child compared to him, he was older and more experienced in every single thing, but still that couldn’t stop her from doing the stupidest thing in her life. Falling in love with the white wolf.

Still she followed as he lead her further away from the rest of their companions. To an empty table with a yellow wrapped package on it.

“Nice wrapping job” she smiled

“Thank you, although YouTube is the one you need to be thanking” Bucky admitted running a hand through his hair.

Shuri chuckled then took the box. She slowly pulled off the bow and carefully unwrapped the gift. 

Her brows furrowed in confusion as she beheld the brown leather-bound book. A photo album. Shuri slowly opened the book and gasped. “Is this?” she asked Bucky. He nodded in reply.

The album was filled with pictures. Pictures he’d taken. Shuri had discovered Bucky had had a love for photography and thought it was a good way to help him trough his healing process. To see the world from a different point of view so she’d gifted him a camera. He’d used it a lot, that she knew but the pictures themselves she never saw. He never let anyone see them… until now.

Shuri turned through the beautiful black and white shots of the lake, of the children playing, of the villagers dancing by the fire at night. They were truly such beautiful pictures. Then she turned the page to see her own face. It was taken in her lab, she hadn’t been facing the camera but she seemed to be engrossed in her work. Beside was another of her laughing and playing with the children by the lake. The next, in her lab again, this time she was asleep at her worktable. The rest of the album continued in this way, shots of scenery and people mixed in with photos of her.

Shuri was stunned she didn’t even know he’d taken those pictures; she’d known he’d been taking pictures but never had she thought she was subject. 

“I…. These…. They’re….” Shuri stuttered “They’re beautiful… Thank you”

Shuri set down the album and rose from her seat and kissed him on the cheek.

Bucky froze for a second, then swallowed, he watched as she picked up her gift and began to make her way back to the party.Then halfway she turned around and walked back to him.

“Fuck it!” she exclaimed tossing the album back onto the table grabbing Bucky by the collar of his jacket and kissing him full on the mouth  
.  
Bucky was stunned at first but after recovering happily returned the kiss. When they finally broke apart, he smiled down at the Princess. 

“Merry Christmas Princess” he smirked

“Merry Christmas Inguka”


End file.
